Mistakes
by Sally Doll
Summary: A child of rape, born in fear, and abandoned by his family. A child of the unprecedented dual-bloodline trait, this the story of his rise to power, and the events leading up to his birth. NaruxHina, ItaXHina, some other pairings, but the focus is naruxhin
1. Regrets

Alright. I do not own Naruto, or any other characters/names/places named herein, only Bisetsu/Hateshi. I gain no monetary compensation whatsoever by writing this and I do not intend any sort of slander by posting this story.

This story has mild language, violence, and a rape scene, although it is not very graphic.

Thanks for reading, and please review.

S

"Uzumaki Naruto…," he could hear the boy speaking, commanding his attention. Even for his slight build, he had such a strong presence, such an aura about him. Those eyes, those once tender, frightened eyes had changed so much since he had last seen the boy. They were stern, unrelenting. They were cold and calculating, he knew exactly every move he would make with an intense sense of purpose.

His small body was a house to such an unbelievable ability, his intense chakra pouring out of nowhere. Not even the two people trying to protect him had anything close to his energy or abilities. Naruto stood there, teeth bared, watching this little boy's destruction. Every nin that came at him, he knocked away with no problem, and those few who had caused more of a threat or had gotten in the way of he and Naruto, he killed, showing no mercy. His hands were balled into fists while he watched this carnage, not knowing what to do. Those fatal eyes looked up at him, one red and one white, and he felt a twinge of fear in his heart.

"Bisetsu, please! You have to-"

"No! Bisetsu was _your_ son's name, and I am not your son. My name is Hateshi," the boy screamed, his voice evincing emotion. He had been so cold until then, so calm, it was strange that simple remark had evoked anything in him let alone a scream. He felt the boy's chakra flare and watched his lip tremble from a distance.

That's what the boy's life had been like with him, watching from a distance, Naruto was always too afraid to get close to him; he didn't want to find out the truth. It was ironic that he had chosen this name, Fate_. _It hurt Naruto to hear him say things like that, he loved the little boy, regardless, and that's why he was having so much trouble now. How were you supposed to kill your own son?

Naruto clenched his fists, and blinked back tears. Maybe, on some level, he deserved this. What could he have done?

Twelve Years Prior:

"Hinata, they've given me an S-Rank mission, I have to go, everyone else already left for theirs," Naruto pleaded, looking down into her light eyes. She sniffed again, she had been crying since she had heard the news that morning and he wasn't doing well to console her.

"B-but Naruto...you promised...you said that this one would be..." she continued, tears in her eyes.

"I know what I said, but you have to realize how important this is, do you really want me to let them down?" he asked, holding her hands to his face. Her hands were always so cool. 

They felt good on his flush face and he forgot about the argument for a moment, and began to think about his wife. She quickly shook him out of it.

"Naruto-kun...promise me, please, that after this one you won't-"

He broke in," Of course, I promise, no higher than B-Rank mission after this."

He nudged her face up and kissed her quickly on the lips. She crossed her arms, and looked at him accusingly.

"Naruto, this isn't the first time you've told me that! You've promised me time and time again that-"

"Hinata...listen to me. This is an escort mission, it's only S-Rank because of the client and the time it takes for the mission to be completed. I don't want to go, especially not for so long, but you know how it is, I'll be back in eight months, that's what the mission description said, in eight months, I'll be back, and then no more long trips or dangerous tasks me for to finish for the village anymore, it'll just be us, and the little baby missions," Naruto finished, laughing at his double meaning.

Hinata smiled, more assured. She knew that he got so excited over the big, dangerous missions, but it frightened her. She had already lost so much, so many people; she couldn't bear losing him as well. She sighed and kissed his cheek.

"Promise you'll be careful," she asked, looking at his tan face. He had changed so much from the boy she fell for. He was taller, than but not as lithe as the boys of the "Rookie 9". He had more of a muscular build, and the old scars on his chest had faded to a light pink over time. His hands and feet were calloused, though for different reasons, and she could always feel his warmth when he was close to her.

"Oh, you worry too much, I'm a Jonin, a highly sought after shinobi, I'll be if-- Owwhoputthishere?!," he yelled out, grabbing his foot. He had stepped on a rogue caltrop that was lying in the corridor. Hinata suppressed a laugh.

"That's your's, Naruto-kun, you'll do well to learn to pick up after yourself," she chuckled.

He faced her, and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "I love you, Hinata."

He turned, more carefully this time, and rushed down the hallway. She soon heard the main door slam.

She sighed. _"Please...Naruto-kun...be careful...for me."_

Naruto was walking towards the front gate, savoring the feel of the earth beneath his feet. He had abandoned the traditional shinobi footgear in his teenage years, having found it more comfortable and more effective to just go without. He could sense the vibrations through the earth, and it made it easier for him to identify friend or foe.

He continued, hoping to see one last person before departing on his mission, it was an S-rank, and he knew that he would be gone for several months, and though he didn't want to 

leave Hinata just weeks after their wedding, they both knew the obligations as shinobi and he had a responsibility to the village.

He saw who he was looking for immediately, those dark glasses and frizzy brown hair sticking out in the crowd of people sending off their own family members. Naruto saw all three of Kiba's children clinging to his shoulders and legs, covering him with kisses and laughing. Naruto's heart swelled, he wanted to have a child of his own soon, and after this mission, he had every intention on making that wish a reality.

Naruto met Aburame Shino at the Main Gate of the Konoha Village. "Listen Shino...I was wondering if I could ask you a favor," Naruto kneeled at the gate. Shino nodded.

"Well...ya see, I was wonderin' if you could-"

"She a lot stronger than you think, Naruto, this isn't the first time I've told you that," Shino spoke, adjusting his glasses.

"I know, I just-...after Hiashi and Hanabi, well, she's been so much more-," Naruto faltered, he felt uncomfortable bringing it up, even if Shino already knew the story.

"I'll look after her," Shino told him," You just make sure to do your part and come back to her." Naruto nodded and pushed off, catching hold of a tree not too far ahead of him.

Some Time After: Akatsuki Headquarters

"Hyuuga...I never would have expected to see you here..." he heard a smug voice from the back reply. He knew that voice, that confident, quiet voice. That dark hair shooting up at all places, it was Sasuke Uchiha, and he saw him there before he ever even came in.

"I can't say the same about you, Uchiha, I assumed that this was exactly where you'd be," Neji countered in his own smug voice. He knew that Sasuke disappeared from the village years ago, when they were still children, to try to become powerful enough to kill his brother and, apparently, he had found some source, Neji could sense another chakra working along with his, it was very minute, but it was there, and it was very sinister.

He saw it as well, instead of normal, blue chakra, Sasuke's had now faded to a very light purple. Neji took in his surroundings, carefully memorizing every aspect with only a second's notice. Another thought came to him. If Sasuke went to find the power to kill his brother, why was he working in the same organization as he? Surely he didn't think he could sneak up on the other Uchiha, catch him off guard, and kill him that way? The idea itself was ludicrous.

He ran scenarios through his head, each coming out with the same result, Sasuke trying to kill Itachi, and Sasuke dying. He pulled his hair behind him, and smiled. "_This is going to get very interesting_," Neji thought.

That was eight months ago, and Sasuke was dead.

Sasuke had indeed tried to kill his brother after all, and although the fight lasted, he wasn't strong enough to overcome his own brother's proficiency. Neji witnessed Sasuke's execution, having been paired with Itachi by Pein, the Akatsuki leader. Neji watched him fall, his open shirt cut to shreds. Sasuke tried using a sword on Itachi, but it only proved to be a disadvantage, he wielded the sword pompously, making wide sweeps and open jabs. Although Sasuke managed to lay a few blows, it was more cosmetic damage than anything, the hem of the robe's sleeves caught the sword's tip, and the flurry of cloth got lost in the wind immediately.

Sasuke pulled the sword sideways, catching Itachi's neck right below the chin. Sasuke had been too far away for it to be a deep cut, but blood beaded up on the skin faintly. Itachi smirked and rubbed his thumb across his neck, looking at the red smear. Neji admitted that Sasuke wielding the sword pleased even his eyes, it did little more than that, except leave him open and vulnerable. He watched as Itachi dodged every one of his attacks with ease, so fast, that Neji had trouble keeping him in sight. Sasuke was becoming frustrated, and this only added to his plight, making him less accurate. Neji saw Itachi smile as Sasuke came at him with that great sword of his.

If Itachi were to be hit with that intending blow, it would be the end, but Itachi just stood there, waiting, beckoning. As Sasuke pulled the sword down to his brother, Itachi appeared behind Sasuke with a sword of his own. Neji was a little less than surprised, knowing that Itachi carried a sword with him, rather than waste time on kunai or shuriken. It was a great deal smaller than Sasuke's but, in that fact, it was a great deal more effective. Itachi had gone through years of Uchiha training, something that Sasuke wasn't rewarded. Neji watched Itachi, the lithe, black-handled sword held delicately in his hands. Neji could tell by the way Itachi held it that he had been in ANBU, and delighted in the fact, he himself having just left ANBU for Akatsuki.

Itachi easily parried Sasuke's sword, the younger Uchiha trying to drag its immense weight down on Itachi's shoulder. Itachi pulled his sword upwards with enough force to knock Sasuke backwards, and when he saw the opening, he advanced on Sasuke. Sasuke's sword had been knocked away from him and Itachi had Sasuke pinned to the ground, his sword having gone through Sasuke's shoulder into the ground beneath him. Itachi held him there, looking into his eyes. Sasuke shut his instinctively.

"No, _outoto_, look at me..." Itachi told him, pulling Sasuke's face towards his own. The sword lay beside Sasuke, and he glanced at it momentarily, thinking that there might be some hope left. Itachi smiled again, and grabbed the sword by the hilt, tossing it farther away casually. He leaned in close to Sasuke, holding his neck in place.

"You are _such _a disappointment, Uchiha Sasuke, to your clan...and to your brother," Itachi whispered, looking at Sasuke's pale face.

He resembled Itachi so much, but he was so different, so weak. He was a disappointment. Itachi had waited years for his brother to kill him; he had waited so long for Sasuke to become strong enough. He had advanced the Sharingan to its full maturity, he had a Sannin running through his veins, he had so many years of training, and yet, he still couldn't kill him. He came at him with an overbearing sword that he didn't know how to use. He stood up and looked at Sasuke, holding him in place with a foot on his chest and his hand on the hilt. He wrenched his sword from Sasuke's shoulder and he brought it down on Sasuke driving it through his throat.

Neji felt his heart jump, he knew that Itachi was going to kill him, but he never expected it in such a way, with absolutely no regard. He didn't think about what he was doing, he just did it, without a second thought. "He did murder his _whole_ clan," Neji thought, trying to add some sense to the situation. Sasuke's eyes caught his, and Neji looked away, he didn't want Sasuke's death to hold him here. Itachi was already near the clearing and Neji walked quickly to keep up.

"Neji...tell me about the females in your clan," Itachi asked, voice low.

Neji felt his heart spasm again_, "Why would he want to know that?"_ Neji thought to himself.

"We don't have many, I am an only child, myself, but there are some-"

"That's not what I asked you," Itachi said sharply. Neji could tell he was getting agitated, so he thought it best to just go ahead and tell him.

"Well, the Head of the Hyuuga clan is female, she's my first cousin, her name's Hinata and then there's her sister Hanabi and she's-"

"Tell me more about _Hinata_..." Itachi interjected. Neji's heart skipped a beat, he hoped to be able to draw attention away from Hinata.

"Well, she's one year younger than me, and although her temperament is shy, she is a skilled Byakugan user, she's also married," Neji added, trying to steer Itachi from his cousin.

Itachi turned to look at him, eyes no longer red, but a pensive black. Neji knew that Itachi could no longer afford to keep his Sharingan activated at all times, he was nearly blind and relying almost completely on his senses for direction.

"Who is she married to?" Itachi asked, stopping. They were in the middle of the clearing now and it was a few miles of wide open space until they hit more forest again. No one knew where they were, not even Akatsuki, Itachi had come here by Sasuke's invitation and it was a deserted part of the forest. He wasn't even sure how Sasuke could have found this place. Neji knew that Itachi would see through his lies, so he was forced to be honest.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Neji told him, pulling at the ends of his hair from behind his back. Although he wasn't fond of his cousin, he didn't want her killed.

Itachi's dark eyes lit up when he heard Neji. He remembered the yellow-haired Fox Of Konoha, Jinchuuriki to the Kyuubi. He knew Naruto's power, his almost limitless chakra, his unmitigated attitude towards everything. And he was married to this Hyuuga.

"She is perfect."

_Sakura: Kusagakure_

Haruno Sakura had not given up on Sasuke, and she never would. She had left Konoha to pursue him, just as Naruto had, the both of them eventually meeting up to try to take 

Sasuke down together. Naruto was now a married man, and Sakura had been there to see it happen. She came back to Konoha briefly, to see Naruto and Hinata wed. As much as she had missed the village, she couldn't bare to stay there. Seeing everyone so happy, some even had children already. And Naruto, as much trouble that he caused, as loud as he was, he grew into a much respected shinobi, a practical shoo-in for Hokage. And here he was: married.

After Sasuke had left, Naruto had been one of her only comforts and she began to think of him as fondly as she did Sasuke. There was something so different about him. Those bright blue, curious eyes a stark contrast to the black melancholy of Sasuke's. It hurt her to see Naruto happy with another person, regardless of who it was, but she resolved it was better in the end. She was a well respected shinobi herself, a renowned healing nin, with a reputation close to that of Tsunade-sama's, but when it came right down to it, she had no family, and if she failed in bringing back Sasuke, if she died trying, she wouldn't be a great loss to the people of Konoha. Naruto, on the other hand, was respected and loved by everyone, and he was building a family now. It would be better for her to do this alone.

So she left the day after the wedding, it had been over for some time now, and Sakura was currently in the Hidden Grass Village after having heard that unnamed members of the Akatsuki had been seen there. Her earlier attempts at trying to find Sasuke directly had always ended in failure, trying to cut out the middle man, but she realized that sometimes you have to go through other people to get what you want or the information you need.

She new, that above all else, Sasuke was going to be an Avenger. He would find his older brother, Uchiha Itachi, and he would kill him, she had the utmost confidence in that.

So for the past three years, she had been tracking the Akatsuki. It had been a difficult road, with plenty of close calls, she was sure they were vaguely aware of the tracking, but each day brought her closer to Itachi, and subsequently, Sasuke's return.

She allowed herself these little daydreams, of those far gone memories of his stand-offish demeanor, those coal eyes, always so sad, but so strong. She sighed and looked up to the road ahead of her, it was long and deserted as far as she could tell. She repeated those words that had kept her going for so long.

_"I'm coming for you, Sasuke. I'm coming to bring you home."_

_Three Weeks Later: Konohagakure_

It was evening and Hinata had gone outside to gather the gardening tools she had left out there. She was gathering up various sized spades when something drew her attention upwards. At first it was the long, slender shadow cast across the garden and up against the back of the Main House. She then pulled her eyes to the source, scarcely believing to see the person before her eyes.

She felt the spades shaking in her hand, it felt like the earth was pulling apart beneath her, and the smallest breeze pulled small strands of hair her off her face. She could see the gentle wind pulling his cloak, and she watched him turn silently. He was going to run. And in a flash, she watched him push off the tall pole and sail towards the forest. Before she could 

stop, she heard herself screaming after him," Neji-nii-san! Wait!" And with that she took off after him.

He was a great deal faster than she was, but she could see him far-off in the distance, and she pulled herself towards him. _"He's been gone so long,"_ she thought, feet hitting the branches of the tall trees lightly.

_"He's been gone since Father died, a missing-nin. Why did he leave...no, why did he come back?"_ she asked herself.

She could see that he was slowing down, dropping into a clearing. She pushed herself faster, trying to reach him before he was gone indefinitely. She dropped down where he had, noticing that there was a small pond there. The fading sunlight fell red through the branches, casting a warm shadow on everything. It was still early in the year and she could smell the coolness in the air. The scent of moisture was laced in it.

She looked at Neji, his face hadn't changed, he was still that cool, aloof boy she had grown up with, only, he wasn't a boy anymore. He smelled faintly of blood, lavender, and metal, a strange combination.

She took a tentative step towards him. He watched her closely, taking her in. Her hair was a longer then when they last saw each other. Her face was flushed and, even though her steps were tentative, she walked with caution, not lack of confidence.

"Neji-...Why?" questions flooded her mind, but that was the only thing that she could manage to say. His eyebrows knitted together, and his lips parted, as if to say something, but then he stopped, eyes flitting quickly over the surroundings. She watched all his little machinations, with a slight curiosity. And then she realized this was a trap.

He came from behind Neji, out of the thickness of the trees. She recognized the cloak immediately, the red clouds against the thick black was a tell-tale sign of who he was. And those eyes, those cruel eyes. The Sharingan paired with the Akatsuki cloak told her that it was the eldest Uchiha, one of the two remaining, for he himself had massacred them all but his own brother. This was a cruel man, merciless, and she had walked right into the trap, with no hesitation. She was unarmed, and unmatched.

She felt her breathing hitch and, taking a step back, she took stance, hands in front of her and feet apart. She drew her hands together quickly and activated the Byakugan, giving up color to see in the clearer black and white perspective. She watched Itachi take half a step in her direction, a smirk on his face. Hinata looked at him, incensed.

"Do not doubt me! I'm stronger than you think," she screamed at him indignantly. She heard him chuckle, his eyes somber.

"I do not doubt your strength, that's half the reason I chose you," he told her, his tone dire. He advanced arms at his side. Hinata took this as an incentive, and threw herself, palms forward, striking at Itachi desperately. She watched as Itachi evaded every one of her strikes and countered with simple deflections.

_"I chose you...what does he want with me,"_ Hinata wondered, striking out faster, more wildly, as her nerves took hold of her.

Itachi dodged her hands, diverting them easily. _"He's just knocking my hands away, does he know a counter to the Gentle Palm?"_

Hinata then looked to Neji, realizing that Itachi could have been traveling with him for some time now. Perhaps Neji had taught him their techniques. A terrible feeling dropped into the pit of her stomach.

_"What if Neji taught him the weakness of the Byakugan?"_

It was then Itachi vanished from her line of sight. In a seconds notice, she scanned her surroundings for him, but he was completely gone. She heard the grass rustle behind her.

_"My blind spot!"_

Hinata paled with fear, turning furiously, but was caught with a swift kick to the small of her back. The pain was immediate and she felt her body collide into one of the larger trees near Neji, having not been able to stop herself from being flung such a distance. She felt the bark underneath her hands, and she pulled on it, willing herself to stand.

_"I-I promised...N-Naruto-kun that I would...n-never give up,"_ she whispered to herself.

Slowly she lifted herself, using the tree as leverage, and then, without a seconds notice, she felt cool metal pierce her palms. She shrieked from the sudden pain, tears streaming down her ashen face. She struggled, trying to free herself and tore at the wounds, making her blood run down the bark and onto the ground. She cried out again, knowing that she had been caught.

_"But why..."_

"You should stop that, you're only putting yourself in more pain, and if you keep bleeding like that, you may die," she could hear Itachi behind her, closer than before, his chakra an imposing presence. "And for this, Neji, you've earned your place in Akatsuki," she heard the ruffling of clothing and saw Neji catch Itachi's robe.

She felt him move closer and touch her back lightly, running a finger up her spine, the touch making her shudder. His hands met at her hips, pulling at the waistband. A scream caught in her throat.

_"O-oh...he's going to..."_ Hinata whimpered, realizing what was going to happen to her.

He tugged her pants down, exposing her pale legs, and then he slid her underwear down far enough for them not to matter. She could feel the cool breeze on her sweat-covered thighs, and she shut her eyes desperately trying not to picture what was going to happen.

She was scared, terrified even, but even more so, she felt so betrayed, as Head of the Hyuuga clan, it was her to place activate Neji's seal and kill him, when he left and became a missing-nin, but she hadn't, because she loved him. She had always cared for him; he was like a brother to her, someone for her to look up to, for her to meet in achievement. And here he was, watching this man violate her.

She choked back more tears, resolving to stay silent; she didn't want this traitor to think he had won against her. His skin was cool, not warm like Naruto's, and it unnerved her. His hands scrapped over her thighs to her front, parting her legs with a single hand. At once, she felt the violation, an alien, unloving feeling she didn't know. It scared her, but she bit down on her lip, making a promise to herself that she wouldn't cry. She would be strong, for herself.

_"For Naruto..."_

He broke her out of her trance, jerking her head back, his mouth at her ear.

"_You_ will bear _my_ child, Hyuuga Hinata," he told her quietly although the fierceness hadn't left his voice. She opened her eyes, screaming and struggling.

_"I'm not strong...I-I can't- _Help me, Nii-san!" she turned her face to look at Neji.

His face was stoic, but his eyes, his eyes were torn. He turned away from her pointedly. Tears streamed down her solemn face, and Itachi forced her closer against the tree. She felt him leave her, abruptly, her legs trembling. She dropped to the ground, defeated, hands still pierced to the tree.

"Clean her up and take her home, Neji, I trust you can do that," Itachi told him, cleaning himself off.

Neji grunted in response, moving over to Hinata quickly. Neji quickly pulled the kunai out of her hands, Hinata didn't respond to the stimuli, she just sat there, looking into nothing, while he sat her up properly, and adjusted her underwear and pants. It was awkward for him to see his cousin like this, and it took all he had to keep looking at her, his guilt and shame thick in his heart.

"Come on, Hinata, it's time for you to go home," Neji told her, voice reposed. He picked her up, cradling her, and took off towards the village.


	2. Contrition

Neji slid the thin door to the side, taking light steps towards Hinata's bed. The room was virtually the same, although the childish decorations were at a minimum, it still smelled like lilacs and fresh linen, but the bed was different, a bigger one with a base of heavy mahogany.

"_Her wedding bed, probably_," Neji assumed.

He laid her down gently, and looked at her hands. The wounds had closed in the slightest degree, and the blood had already scabbed up around the corners. He sighed, thankful she was asleep, and moved to her nightstand, looking for her small pack of ointments. She had always kept some around, just-in-case, and, if memory served him, she kept it somewhere around here.

He pulled on the little wooden dowel and, with some effort, opened the second drawer. There it was, the small case, along with some gauze, and sturdier bandage cloth. He took out some cream for pain, an anti-septic ointment, and both the gauze and bandaging cloth, then set to work on her hands. He applied the thicker, anti-septic ointment first, then the cream, and wrapped her hands carefully. Her face was still streaked from the tears, and he wiped at them, the guilt rising in his chest making him sick. He knew what he did could never be forgotten, the ultimate betrayal, but he had his reasons, and he had _tried_ to steer Itachi away to another Hyuuga.

The house sounded so empty now, the usual hurried footsteps resounding through the corridors were absent, giving Neji a cold feeling. He sighed, looking out of the small window in Hinata's room, the sun had set, and he had to get back.

He wanted his freedom, at any cost, and now he was going to have it. He had betrayed his village and his family, to get the freedom. He had fulfilled the deed that was supposed to finish his initiation, and now he would no longer be slave to that _damned_ seal. He touched his forehead lightly in contemplation. Now it was over. There was nothing left here for him.

A thought caught him, _"What if Itachi's plan doesn't work? What if the child doesn't...?"_

Neji sighed, it was useless, and Itachi would have his way regardless of the unlikelihood of its fruition. Neji slid back out of the door, and was on his way back to Itachi.

_"This can't be right, a child born of...Itachi you can't make the impossible happen. It's not possible to possess both. This child will be..."_ Neji rubbed at his head, he felt a headache coming. The day had been wrong in all manners and he just couldn't wait to sleep.

He cascaded into the small clearing, seeing Itachi immediately.

"Has she been taken care of?" he asked, adjusting his clothes.

It was rare to see Itachi in anything but the Akatsuki robes, so Neji was rather surprised to find him wearing what looked like normal shinobi gear, although it was in a rather austere shade of black. Neji nodded in assurance, picking up the robe that had previously been tossed to him. He hoped that this made his acceptance into the Akatsuki invariable.

Neji let his thoughts fade away from that empty place that used to be his home, it had lost its former pride, and became just what it was, an empty house. Things had changed so 

much over the years, he had heard of the Hyuuga's trouble, just gossip in far away villages, but he pushed those thoughts away. He was going to make changes of his own, he was actually going to be free of the damned seal, and then, finally, he could follow his own path, with no one to stop him. He would finally be free.

A boy that barely stood at the height of his waist answered the door. Shino had only knocked once, but was surprised to see someone at the door so quickly. The boy's voice was meek, but he bowed his head and allowed for Shino to enter. The boy was Bunke, unquestionably, Shino noted the soft green seal on his forehead, although it was obvious regardless of the seal for Soke never answered the door, they left chores and menial tasks to their Branch House relatives.

Shino was known at this house, having been teamed with Hinata since their childhood, and it wasn't often he didn't visit at least once a week. He sighed and straightened his coat, bearing down the corridor towards Hinata's room. She had kept the same one from her childhood, opting out of taking Hiashi's, though it was rightfully her room as Head of House. He knocked on the door and waited for the sound of her voice giving him permission to enter. There was none. He looked to the boy still standing at his side; he could tell he was nervous.

"Is Hinata here, or has she gone somewhere?" Shino asked, turning to face the young boy.

He cleared his throat.

"Hinata-sama is...well, because of Naruto-sama leaving, we were told not to bother her," the boy murmured, looking at his feet.

He shifted uncomfortably under Shino's stare, and Shino turned back towards the door.

"I'm going in here to check on her," Shino told him abruptly, pulling lightly at the metal handle.

The room was dark, but he knew immediately she was in there. He could see her small shape breathing lightly on the bed, she was asleep. Or was she? He could hear her slight voice whispering from the sheets, and he approached her with caution. He knew that Hinata often spoke in her sleep, but never so ferverently. Slowly, he reached over to her, touching her on the shoulder lightly. She stirred at his touch, and he leaned in, trying to hear what she was saying.

"_ Uchiha...Sharingan-don't touch me!" _she jerked back violently towards the headboard, gasping. Shino looked at her, eyebrows tensed. He was definitely worried now.

"Hinata, are you alright?" he asked her sternly, caught of guard by her words. "_ Uchiha?" _She shifted uncomfortably, pulling her blankets up against her. He knew something was wrong.

"I-I'm fine, Shino...I-" she broke off; listening to the floor creak underneath the boy's shifting weight. She had jumped at the sound. Shino knew that something was amiss. He could tell by the way she was breathing and looking around cautiously, but he did not know 

how to approach her. Was it some terrible dream brought on by Naruto's absence? But why would she be dreaming of an Uchiha, Sasuke perhaps? He could sense a pain in her, something physical, and it drew on his attention.

"Did you hurt yourself Hinata?" Shino asked in a gruff tone, he wasn't sure on how to bring about his questions. He watched Hinata shift some more, holding her hands together.

"U-um...I c-cut my h-hand on a spade in the garden," she told him quietly, trying hard to lie.

Shino could see in her body language, her eyes shifting to the left, her intonation, that she was lying, but he decided not to press it, she usually came around when she was ready, and she obviously didn't want him to know. He looked at her, searching for some explanation, and finding none, he cleared his throat.

"I'll come and check on you tomorrow," he told her, tossing a blanket back onto her shoulders. She mustered a smile, but he could still see the worry in her eyes. He stood, straightening his jacket, and departed quickly. Shino wasn't one for long good-byes; they made things harder and awkward.

He breathed in through his nose, taking in the early spring air. He looked at the Hyuuga compound with shaded eyes; it still held that same foreboding look it always had. After the incident with Hiashi and Hanabi, both of them having been murdered while on their way to a conference in the Hidden Village of the Rock, Hinata had been pushed into the role of Head of House, Leader of the Hyuuga Clan of the Fire Country.

She had tried her best, but having to deal with such a responsibility so soon after her father and sister's death, and the sudden departure of her cousin, it took its toll. But she held up well, and she'd even tried to make changes.

She couldn't abolish Soke and Bunke, but she did try to give the Branch House members the rights she thought they deserved. And so, with Hinata as their leader, it was made apparent that the Head House's secrets were no longer solely for the Soke, but they could only be learned by those who were capable. Someone who didn't have the ability, regardless of which house they were born into, wouldn't learn, making it easier for the Hyuuga to train the ones who could learn. The Hyuuga Elders were in outrage, but Hinata held firm, and they did nothing to stop her. They couldn't really.

The Hyuuga Clan was dealt a devastating blow though, for Hiashi's and Hanabi's death had to be avenged and their bodies had to be recovered, they had no seal to activate and thus, if not retrieved, they would give away the secrets of the Byakugan in their death. So war was waged between the Hyuuga Clan and an overzealous firm of medical nin out to gain the secrets of the Kekkei Genkai. The Hyuuga Elders bid that the rest of Konoha stay out of it, as it was their family's fight, and the loss was devastating.

Neji was their most prominent fighter, and with him gone, they were already at a disadvantage. The Bunke were sent out first, fighting until death, and cutting the numbers of the opposing half. Unfortunately, the Branch House was far more populated than the Main House, and so, after their fall, there were only maybe a dozen of the Soke left. The Hyuuga eventually reclaimed Hiashi's and Hanabi's bodies, but at a great loss. The only members of the Branch House were those too young or too old to have fought. There were 

a handful of Head House members left, and since they have been trying to rebuild their numbers.

Shino turned away, thoughts of the past weighing heavily on his mind. He didn't like to think about the all the deaths everyone had suffered over the years, it was better to think ahead at what could happen and not to dwell too harshly on the things that already had, the past was something to learn from, not to pine over.

Friends died, friends got married, friends had children, and those children would soon grow up. He shook his head and continued walking. He would go to check on Hinata tomorrow, maybe things would be different then.

Rays of sunlight peeked through her window and tickled her awake. Hinata opened her milky eyes slowly, breathing evenly. Her hands were throbbing and warm with the fever that those types of injuries almost always cause. As she clenched her hands into a fist, sharp pain pinching her, tears ran down her face. Everything had really happened.

She didn't have some horrible nightmare, it wasn't some dream. She followed her cousin, a man she loved like a brother, into the forest to be -...she couldn't even think the word. Her body had been violated and she had been beaten. How could she tell Naruto?

_"No! I can't ever ever tell him!_" she thought ardently.

She could never tell her husband that she was raped by a murderer and her cousin stood there to witness. She could never tell him that she was beaten, that she wasn't strong enough to fight, like always. That she had failed again, that she couldn't take care of herself. Her tears came silently, but as a deluge, and her small frame shook with her pain, both physical and mental.

His frightening words came back to her mind "_You will bear my child"_, he had told her. He said that he had chosen her specifically.

_"But why?"_ she asked herself over and over again.

And what if she was pregnant? Her heart throbbed painfully in her chest and she sunk down into her bed, sniffing feverishly into Naruto's pillow, trying to gain comfort from his fading scent. Her stomach was sick with fear; she couldn't have another man's child. How could she explain what happened? She would have to tell Naruto everything, and she couldn't do that to him or herself.

Her chest ached, and she could feel the nausea overtaking her, realizing how alone she really was. There was no one she could tell; this secret separated her like an island in the middle of the ocean. She tried to steady her breathing, tried to calm herself, but it was getting harder and harder, the past night's events replaying past her eyes over and over again, pushing her further out to sea, with no chance of getting back. She felt her breathing hitch again, and she choked out a scream.

_It wasn't fair!_ Why her? Why now? Not only was she going to have to endure the pregnancy and birth of a child she wasn't sure she could ever love but, she might lose Naruto because 

of it. And what about her friends, what would they think? She had spent so long, and worked so hard to get them to like her, and after years of being ignored, they finally noticed her, and now? Would they still like her after they found out that this child wasn't her husband's?

Where would that leave her? She _did_ want a child, but she did _not _want to raise one on her own, especially not while ostracized from her friends. Her family would never accept it either, Hyuuga had a strict code they all had to adhere to, and any bastard child was given away at birth, that was, if they would let her keep it in the first place.

"_What am I going to do?_

Her body trembled, and she could hear the house slowly creaking awake. She let out a shaky breath, trying to relax. Maybe she wasn't pregnant, that could never be a sure thing until she went to the doctor. Her breathing even out a little bit, and she wiped her face with her blanket and sat up straight.

Her face became resolved, but she was lost in thought. What if this _was_ Naruto's child? If she was pregnant, what's to say that it wasn't Naruto's? They _did_ have sex before, a few times actually, and they hadn't used protection, deciding that since they were married, it didn't matter, as they both wanted children. So maybe…

Hinata smiled softly, laughing. She _had_ won.

_"This will not be another man's child. I will not bear the child of a murderer; I will bear the child of the future Hokage. This will be Naruto's child and, no matter what, he shall never know."_

Hinata pressed her wounded hand over her stomach, thinking vaguely about what might be growing there this very second. And then she looked at her hand and noticed something very strange.

Every family in Konoha had their own ways of doing things. Anything from miso soup to hakama tying was different from family to family. Hinata's wounds were dressed perfectly, just as she was taught to do when she was a child, the same way her sister was taught, and the same way Neji was taught.

Neji had dressed her wounds for her. Even after he had betrayed her to that man, he still took care of her. She stood, sighed, and left the room. She had to go and speak with Shino.

Eight Weeks Later: Godaime Hokage's Office...

"I-I think I may be p-pregnant...," she mumbled, staring at the floor as if it had caused her great injury.

"You're pregnant?! How?! Whose is it? I can't be Naruto's, he couldn't stick his thumb up his ass without a map and a guide!" Tsuande exclaimed, pressing her hands down on her desk.

Hinata blushed deeply; it embarrassed her to hear such things.

"I-I said I _think_ I m-might be pregnant, I'm not for certain," she spoke now a little bit more carefully, slightly taken aback by the Hokage's outburst.

Hinata wasn't sure, but if she was pregnant, it was serious business. Tsunade smiled at her, looking at the papers on her desk sharply. She stood, clapping her hands together. Hinata watched her circle around the desk and walk towards the door, motioning for Hinata to follow. She stood, straightening her shirt.

"Follow me," Tsunade told her, leading her down a carpeted hallway to a door at the end. Hinata stopped, but Tsuande pressed for her to enter, and she stepped inside.

"Now! Here's where the fun begins!" she told Hinata, smiling and rubbing her hands together.

"Now you lie down there, and raise your shirt, and I'll begin, then we'll see..."

Hinata nodded and stretched herself out on the long bedlike table. It was more comfortable than what she had expected, and she relaxed into it, raising her shirt to expose the milky skin underneath. She looked at her stomach, wondering vaguely if it would soon be marred with long pink scars like she had seen from most mothers.

How would she wear those scars, like badges of honor? Like battle scars, like any other scar or bruise she had gotten on a mission? Would it be like a reminder of the things she went through, and for her to be grateful for what she learned in the experience? Tsunade quickly shook her out of her reverie, by placing her hands just above her waist. The gentle touch shocked her.

"Are you ready?" Tsunade asked her, pressing lightly on the area she had just touched.

Hinata just nodded, her breath shaky. She had never felt so nervous in her life, not the first day of Academy, the first day of training, not when she went out on her first mission, not even on her wedding day. This feeling surpassed all of it. She watched as Tsunade, took a deep breath and let it out quickly, focusing her chakra. Hinata watched as a gentle white aura encircled her hands, as she focused, and she felt her stomach tingle from the sensation. She saw the aura disappear into her abdomen a bit, Tsunade pressing it further in, peering into her insides. And then she stopped, and Hinata felt the chakra go from a tingle to a swelling feeling. It almost made her feel sick. Tsunade smiled, and sucked on a bit of her lip. The chakra faded away slowly, and Tsunade straightened herself up.

Hinata looked at her expectantly, "Well?" she asked, almost impatiently. Tsunade nodded.

"Well, it seems, Hinata, that you are going to become a mother very soon," Tsuande told her in an even tone.

Hinata felt her heart jump into her throat.

"A mother? I'm going to be...a mother?"

"Are you sure?" her own voice sounded strange and far away to her. She watched as Tsunade nodded again, crossing her arms.

"I hope so...it's either a kid or a tumor," she cackled. Hinata paled. "Oh, come on! Can't you take a joke?! Of course, you're pregnant!"

Hinata sighed deeply, trying to have patience with the Hokage's boisterous attitude, knowing she meant no harm by it. It felt like a thunderstorm in her stomach, and she was almost in a daze.

"So, what sort of symptoms have you had?" Tsunade asked, tugging her hair back into a ponytail. She sat down in a smaller chair next to the table.

"Well, I've been really sick...but it's not just in the mornings...I feel that way most of the day...and I can't eat peaches," Hinata told her quietly. Tsunade nodded.

"That's something they don't tell you, it's really all day sickness. About the peaches though, be prepared to find that sometimes even your most favorite food becomes something you won't want to touch and things you'd never eat in your life are now what you eat for breakfast. Pregnancy can change your body big-time. My own mother loved steamed carrots, but after getting pregnant with me she actually hated them and couldn't eat them until after I was born," Tsunade shrugged.

Hinata sighed and nodded. She was going to have a child; a baby was going inside of her body. She was vaguely reminded of her old science books at school, and it made her think of some sort of parasitic relationship, but she quickly shook that thought away.

"So, when are you going to tell everybody? I can call and have it put in the newspaper if you-"

"NO! I mean...no thank you...I'd like to tell everyone in my own time...okay?" Hinata tried to seem apologetic for her rudeness, but she really didn't want anyone to know in the first place, let alone read in the newspaper. She would have to find the courage to tell them herself. Tsunade waved her hands and smiled widely.

"Fine, fine...just go make an appointment up front with Shizune. I'll be presiding over your pregnancy and delivery personally," Tsunade told her, resting her hands on her hips.

She stood up and approached the door, turning back to inform her to make the appointment in three weeks. Hinata sat there in silence, thinking about Naruto. He still had several months left. She wondered if he'd be back in time. She didn't want to have this child without him, he was her one source of bravery and she knew she'd need it for this. She needed him.


End file.
